1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to latching mechanisms for vehicle seats. More specifically, the present invention discloses combined seat back and floor release latch mechanisms for use with a pivoting vehicle seat and by which forward pivoting of the seat back causes an interconnecting cable to disengage the floor release latch mechanism from an associated floor mounted striker.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with examples of latch assemblies in use with a vehicle seat. The objective in each instance is to provide for secured engagement and disengagement of the latch assembly to and from a fixed location, such as a floor mounted striker plate, and in order to permit an associated vehicle seat to be dumped/pivoted forwardly and/or removed from the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,849, issued to Fast, teaches a chuck-free latch assembly including both fixed and movable members, as well as a striker fixed to one of the movable and fixed members. The latch assembly is adapted to be connectable to the other of the movable and fixed members and to selectively couple the movable member to the striker. More specifically, the latch assembly includes a housing, latch and a release cam coupled to the housing, along with spring means and a release mechanism.
The housing includes a striker opening adapted to accommodate the floor secured striker. The latch is operable in a latched position when the latch assembly is in a latched mode wherein the latch is adapted to couple the striker to the housing and in an unlatched position when the latch assembly is in an unlatched mode, wherein the striker is freely movable relative to the housing. The release cam is operable in an engaged position wherein the release cam urges the latch towards its latched position and in a released position wherein the latch is operable in its unlatched position. The spring means urges the release cam toward its engaged position and the latch toward its unlatched position. Finally, the release mechanism is operable for selectively moving the release cam from its engaged position to its released position.
Rus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,401, discloses a latch mechanism which removably attaches a front portion of a collapsible and removable utility seat assembly to a latch rod on a vehicle floor pan. The latch mechanism includes a bracket adapted for attachment to the front portion of the utility seat assembly with a wheel attached thereto. The latch mechanism also includes a lock member rotatably connected to the bracket and adapted for engagement with the floor pan for causing rotation of the lock member with respect to the bracket to facilitate locking of the locking mechanism onto the latch rod as the utility seat assembly is collapsed.
Frazier, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0174037, teaches a seat assembly which selectively engages forward and rearward strikers positioned along a floor of a motor vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion. The seat assembly also includes a seat riser mounted to the seat cushion and including spaced-apart rear legs. The seat riser includes rear latches operatively coupled to each of the rear legs for movement between a latched position engaged with the rear latches and an unlatched position disengaged from the rear latches. A spring assist member includes a lever portion extending between a first end fixedly secured to said rear leg and an opposite second distal end for engaging the rearward striker to assist in pivoting the seat assembly about the forward strikers as the rear latches release the rearward strikers in the unlatched position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,750, issued to Clark et al., teaches a pivotal seat structure for a vehicle body and including a seat back connected to a seat cushion. The seat cushion is secured to a frame member which is pivotally mounted on the seat riser. A latch assembly is operably connected between the seat riser and the seat cushion frame member. A latch release rod is operably connected to the latch assembly. A gas spring is operably connected between the seat riser and the seat cushion frame member, the frame member, seat cushion and the seat back adapted to being pivoted forwardly off of the riser by the gas spring upon manual actuation of the latch release rod.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,525, issued to Nicola, discloses a lever action floor latch actuation mechanism for removing a seat to a pair of front and rear strikers located on the floor of a vehicle. A riser having a forward leg and a rearward leg supports the seat above the vehicle floor. Front and rear latches are pivotally connected to the forward and rearward legs, respectively, for releasably securing the seat to the strikers. A longitudinal links pivotally interconnects the front and rear latches and an actuation member coupled to the link simultaneously moves the latches between a latched position engaging the strikers and an unlatched position disengaging the strikers.
Each latch includes a cinch cam pivotally connecting the latch to the riser. The cinch cam has a cylindrical outer surface terminating at a flattened cam surface. A spacer plate is fixedly secured between the latch and the riser and includes a center aperture for rotatably receiving the cinch cam. The aperture forms a circular section and a tangential slot for seating a flexible plate. The cylindrical surface of the cam engages and flexes the plate when the latch is pivoted to the latched position providing an anti-rattle biasing force between the latch and striker and the flattened surface releases the flex in the plate when the latch is pivoted to the unlatched position disengaged from the striker.